Demographic influences
The faster growing population of Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe and South America
are generating additional demand for packaged products. In developed regions
the population is aging. From 2010 to 2050, in developed regions, those aged 65
and over will swell from 16 percent to 26 percent of the population, while those
aged 80 or over will rise from 4 percent to 9 percent. An ageing population in
advanced economies and longer life expectancy in developing countries is
leading to growing demand for healthcare and personal products. Furthermore,
products and packaging must be designed with seniors in mind. While all
manufacturers should be incorporating universal design principles into their
packaging design briefs, this is especially critical for the priority product
categories, such as prescription and OTC medications, functional foods,
and heavy or spill-prone household products.
Other demographic trends include the growing numbers of single-person
households and households where all adults work. These trends will boost
demand for food in smaller package sizes and more convenient foods
designed to reduce food preparation time.
Film down-gauging
Down-gauging or lightweighting refers to the process of reducing the amount
of polymer and hence film thickness used to produce a plastic package whilst
maintaining adequate strength and protection for the packaged product. Film
down-gauging can lessen the impact of packaging waste on the environment,
reduce transportation costs and improve processor’s profit margins.
There are still opportunities for further down-gauging of specialty plastic film
over the forecast period. Even for film where down-gauging has gone as far as
possible for the moment, technological advancements may provide future scope
for lightweighting. This might be accomplished through use of nano-materials.
Source reduction and sustainable packaging
Sustainable packaging is growing in popularity because of the increasing focus
by end users on carbon footprint and lifecycle impact analysis. Retail chains and
brand owners are reacting to growing interest from consumers concerned with
depletion of fossil resources and climate change and are taking initiatives to
evaluate the packaging used by their suppliers in terms of source reduction,
eco-friendliness and cost reduction. They are favouring the growing use of
sustainable packaging based on
biodegradable materials and
bio-based packaging from
renewable material, rather
than conventional plastics.
For more information on the
specialty films market, see Smithers
Pira’s report, The Future of
Specialty Films to 2018 at
reports/packaging/specialty-
films-2018.aspx
Dominic Cakebread
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